Almost 100 incident reports involving violence or threats of violence were made by state schools to the Department of Education, Training and Employment last year. Source: News Limited

TEACHERS and principals have been punched, headbutted and threatened with knives by rampaging students, prompting suggestions the installation of security cameras and protective glass may be needed in Queensland schools.

Students have also been taken to hospital following fights as the horrifying extent of violence in our schools is exposed in Right to Information documents obtained by The Courier-Mail.

Almost 100 incident reports involving violence or threats of violence were made by state schools to the Department of Education, Training and Employment last year.

Incidents include school staff being kicked, headbutted, punched in the head and chased by out-of control students, some who forced themselves into locked down classrooms or places where victims were trying to take refuge.

Students, past and present, threatened principals, teachers and peers with knives and in one case a spear while other incidents involved parents and sometimes strangers threatening or lashing out at staff and each other.

In one incident a male student punched his deputy principal in the mouth, splitting his lips, before headbutting him, while another teacher required stitches after being struck by a child.

One teacher was punched in the face and head several times by a student after they confiscated the child's mobile phone in class and fled to a staffroom, only to have the child force their way in.

Two fathers had a verbal fight in front of children at afternoon school care before one punched the other a number of times in the head and left, doing burn outs in his car up the street.

About 20,000 suspensions were handed out in states schools last year for physical misconduct.

It comes as the State Government passed tough new school discipline laws yesterday, described by The Queensland Teachers' Union as window dressing with little additional resources for schools to combat the problem.

QTU president Kevin Bates said in practical terms there was very little the new legislation would do to change the issue of behaviour and while extreme, some schools might need to consider instillation of security cameras and glass in foyers and administration.

"If it is a good enough situation to protect our hospital workers, or the person who serves you at the service station or bank workers, maybe, if it can't be fixed in any other way, they are potential changes that might need to be considered in our schools as well," he said.

Mr Bates and Queensland Secondary Principals' Association president Norm Fuller said the number of incidents referred to DETE were small given there were about 500,000 state school students.

They said non-state schools also experienced violent incidents and it was a reflection of society.

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said he had no plans to put security cameras inside schools and the new legislation, including allowing principals to give students community service and Saturday detentions, were designed to stop bad behaviour.

"Let's remember, ninety-eight per cent of students are good kids," Mr Langbroek said.

"School leaders have asked for the power to respond to behavioural issues and to be freed from excessive paperwork and bureaucracy.

"That's why the Newman Government has acted and why these reforms received unanimous support in the Parliament.

"If the Union has to resort to extremist fear mongering, it's clearly lost the plot."

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